What have you almost hit at Lebanon?? [Archive] - Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists Discussion Forums

MisterClaw

07-29-2005, 07:51 AM

I went riding today and nearly schmucked a little gopher. I have hit one squirrel out there, and last year I nearly smacked a wild turkey:shocked: ! Anyone else ever hit the wild-life? Or worse yet, been hit by the wild-life?
Well, it wasn't Lebanon but last weekend at the river bottoms I almost hit a muskrat. At Lebanon I usually almost hit the trees. :)

TML

07-29-2005, 08:33 AM

I almost had a turkey nail me last year. Before the initial climb was re-routed, I was climbing up the double track and one ran out of the woods and nearly ran right into me before it darted back into the underbrush. :crazy:

Adam Hjelle

07-29-2005, 08:49 AM

Not at Leb, but last night at Hillside I came withing 3-4 feet of a huge doe...that was awesome!

Trevize1138

07-29-2005, 09:01 AM

I totally almost hit the tabletop in the XX loop at Lebanon every time I ride there. Really ... some day ...

Uncle Leo

07-29-2005, 09:01 AM

One time at River Bottoms I came around a corner and had to hit the brakes to not hit a big mother goose standing in the middle of the trail with its goslings. And it did NOT want to move, I would advance on it to try to scare it, she didn't back down. I ended up bushwhacking around.

Ish

07-29-2005, 10:35 AM

I almost hit that troll once......

Konaboy

07-29-2005, 11:24 AM

Those bastards jump out in front of me all the time. :mad: :D

Thewavebb

07-29-2005, 11:50 AM

berrywise

07-29-2005, 11:55 AM

Most of the time the wildlife are drunk college kids screwing (sometimes literally) around up in the bluffs on the trails. I love coming up on them hauling ass and fully lit up. Nobody expects somebody biking when is pitch black out.

Coming around the second main overlook at Zinger I once had to bunny hop some kid who was laying/passed out on the trail. I didn't even really think about it, instincts just made me go right up over him instead of slamming into the brush on the side of the trail.

Good sized party was going on and here we come with our lights shining from our heads. A few thought we were the cops.

Thewavebb

07-29-2005, 12:03 PM

Coming around the second main overlook at Zinger I once had to bunny hop some kid who was laying/passed out on the trail. I didn't even really think about it, instincts just made me go right up over him instead of slamming into the brush on the side of the trail.

Good sized party was going on and here we come with our lights shining from our heads. A few thought we were the cops.

LOL thats one of the spots I still run into people. I have had some yell, COPS!!! and run into the woods. Which I always find funny as hell.

berrywise

07-29-2005, 12:08 PM

LOL thats one of the spots I still run into people. I have had some yell, COPS!!! and run into the woods. Which I always find funny as hell.

We probably could stop at Downtown Book & Video and get some cop outfits and go up there and confiscate their beer and then throw a bike club reunion bash.

Thewavebb

07-29-2005, 12:29 PM

We probably could stop at Downtown Book & Video and get some cop outfits and go up there and confiscate their beer and then throw a bike club reunion bash.

You actually got me to laugh out loud and get the look from the other guys in the office. Have you talked to Matt Huetinc lately? He is a riding machine now compared to the college years. Most of the guys have I knew have ran away and never looked back. While i'm stuck in winona working and waiting for my wife to finish school.

berrywise

07-29-2005, 12:36 PM

Have you talked to Matt Huetinc lately? He is a riding machine now compared to the college years. Most of the guys have I knew have ran away and never looked back.

I rode with Matt twice last summer but havne't seen nor heard from him this year. I was still able to put the smack down on him but he was much improved over how he rode back in school for sure. He had just broken his frame and had gotten a new one.

I was over to Steve Bice's apartment a few times to get some help with my computer and hang out a bit but havne't talked to him either. Joe Wilcox and I get together a couple times a summer and I had Dan Paulson stay over at my place when he was in town (he lives in washington d.c now).

I'm just a shadow of my college biking shape these days. Instead of being first up the rollers and ready to go I'd be one of the people back in the pack huffing for a rest break :D. Sad but true.

I actually forgot to ask you if you were riding around downtown Winona a few weeks back. My girlfriend and I were camping up in the bluffs on a little vacation and went into town to Jeffersons and saw what I thought was you riding through the parking lot. Only caught a glimpse though so it could have been anyone really.

Thewavebb

07-29-2005, 01:00 PM

I rode with Matt twice last summer but havne't seen nor heard from him this year. I was still able to put the smack down on him but he was much improved over how he rode back in school for sure. He had just broken his frame and had gotten a new one.

I was over to Steve Bice's apartment a few times to get some help with my computer and hang out a bit but havne't talked to him either. Joe Wilcox and I get together a couple times a summer and I had Dan Paulson stay over at my place when he was in town (he lives in washington d.c now).

I'm just a shadow of my college biking shape these days. Instead of being first up the rollers and ready to go I'd be one of the people back in the pack huffing for a rest break :D. Sad but true.

I actually forgot to ask you if you were riding around downtown Winona a few weeks back. My girlfriend and I were camping up in the bluffs on a little vacation and went into town to Jeffersons and saw what I thought was you riding through the parking lot. Only caught a glimpse though so it could have been anyone really.

I remember you and Dan used to own everybody with your mad skills. That was when just picked up my first Mt bike. I think you did a mid 12 minute time trial up wildwood and down Rock Quarry. My last one durring my junior year was a sad upper 13 minute run.

We hijacked the Sh!t out of this thread. SOrry guys.

berrywise

07-29-2005, 01:15 PM

I remember you and Dan used to own everybody with your mad skills. That was when just picked up my first Mt bike. I think you did a mid 12 minute time trial up wildwood and down Rock Quarry. My last one durring my junior year was a sad upper 13 minute run.

Haha I remember that time trial. Dan had been riding his trainer all winter and I had been sitting on the couch watching tv and drinking beer and then come spring time when we had that time trial I beat him by a couple of seconds. Feel bad cause it kinda took the wind out of his sails and he didn't ride as much that summer.

We hijacked the Sh!t out of this thread. SOrry guys.

Oops we sure did...but the poll states that most people don't mind :etard:. I'll try to get it back on track.

I've hit a squirrel before. Normally its kinda fun when you come up on a squirrel cause they sometimes will run down the trail in front of you and you can try and keep up with them. Well this one didn't stand a chance it just came out of the bushes and went ride under my front wheel. It tumbled a bit but jumped up and took off again so I didn't feel to bad.

Squirrel doesn't taste as good as albino buffalo anyhow.

Thewavebb

07-29-2005, 02:25 PM

Haha I remember that time trial. Dan had been riding his trainer all winter and I had been sitting on the couch watching tv and drinking beer and then come spring time when we had that time trial I beat him by a couple of seconds. Feel bad cause it kinda took the wind out of his sails and he didn't ride as much that summer.

Didn't he get a new rear hub that year and it wasn't as loud as the King you had so he took it apart and took the grease out so it would be louder. At least that was the rumor after he left.

berrywise

07-29-2005, 02:48 PM

Didn't he get a new rear hub that year and it wasn't as loud as the King you had so he took it apart and took the grease out so it would be louder. At least that was the rumor after he left.

Haha I don't even wanna know what you guys talked about me behind my back :D Yeah his set of DT/Hugi hubs just didn't have the sound so he took a whole lot of grease out of them. I don't they lasted all that long after that Doh!

nigel

07-29-2005, 05:36 PM

What have I almost hit at Leb...............John Lundell.......teeter, fall that one year it got put in, it was funny, we laughed, had a moment, and then rode on!

flea

07-29-2005, 05:50 PM

Last fall during nite rides I kept hearing a rustling along the trail then looked down and saw dozens of mice scooting every which way, some were popping straight up out of the leaves. I don't know whether I ran any over or not. Maybe they mistake nite bikers for owls with lites? And owls hooting at nite always make the ride that much more fun too.
This past week near Cable we were riding on the forest road between two lakes campground and county road D and came across a mama black bear and three cubs. She got up on her hind legs to scare us which worked well. We kept our distance and took a few pictures but in the shadows the bears can't be seen hardly at all.

Danimal

08-01-2005, 08:06 AM

I almost sent 4 kids to the great almighty on Friday night, they were on the XX loop on BMX bikes walking the opposite direction right on the path, I flew up and almost took all of them out. I yelled at them they were going the wrong way and it appears two of them had blow-outs. If I would have hit them going as fast as I was I would have sent all 4 of them to the hospital.

Speaking of Hospital, Jason you out there? How did your mechanic fare at the Hospital Friday, stitches? Is he gonna be ok?

I'll call & get the skinny.

gopherhockey

08-01-2005, 04:00 PM

A dog... a frog... a log. A noodle, a doodle... a poodle (oops, got side-tracked - name that movie!)

Seriously though, I've almost hit a dog, turkeys, deer, and I tend to follow a bit close to riders in front of me so that rear wheel is always begging to be hit.

And of course many many people have almost tasted my wheel as they strolled along OUR trail. Almost hit a few crossing no their own trail too - DOH....

Night rides are always full of little critters but they always seem to clear away just in time.

tedsti

08-01-2005, 04:16 PM

Almost - deer, rabbit, turkey, bugs, old lady, a female trail runner in a very distracting outfit:D

Direct contact - snake, an assortment of trees, the dirt

soupboy

08-01-2005, 04:52 PM

Deer, turkey, tree, rock, Gavin, stump, turd, squirrel, muskrat.

transplant

08-01-2005, 07:55 PM

The wall, after too many laps. My head on an overhang and branches that stick out. Oh yeah, a used condom in the parking lot.:mad:

phaberman1

08-02-2005, 09:44 AM

I have seen lots of possum's night riding at the river bottoms. One time the rider at the front of our group wheelied and ran over one with his rear tire:shocked: .

soupboy

08-03-2005, 06:27 PM

a Magnum by chance, was it?

The wall, after too many laps. My head on an overhang and branches that stick out. Oh yeah, a used condom in the parking lot.:mad:

RedSquirrel

08-04-2005, 07:19 AM

Last night at dusk I was mocking through on my last lap and almost caught a bird.

I heard flapping and rucus, looked down and noticed a sparrow or some black bird. Anyway, it was to the left of my front wheel, then in front, then screaming the finally pulled away.

It was odd, it appeared I was going to over run the poor thing. Weird.

Wild_Fi

08-05-2005, 02:24 AM

Good stuff all, thanks for sharing... I was riding on Anderson AFB in Guam and hear a rustling in the trees just off the path. I slowed down to glimpse the wildlife. About ten feet to the side of me a wild boar with very large tusks popped out of the brush. We made eye contact, and that was a bad thing. He charged, I peddled. He easily could have run me down, but stopped chasing after he was about 3 feet from my rear wheel... I rode the next 3 miles all out on pure adrenaline!! Now, even in Leb or any other metro trail, if I hear something in the woods, I quickly pick up the pace!!

Wild_Fi

08-15-2005, 11:56 PM

Almost got my first deer today... Well actually, it almost got me! A very large Buck quickly passed the trail about 20 feet in front of me. Suprisingly, that was the first deer I have seen on the trails...

SpecHR55

08-16-2005, 12:04 AM

Kinda related but coming back from putting out the garbage I got hit in the head with a bat (the mammal).

SuperflyJenkins

08-16-2005, 09:24 AM

First time out at Lebanon last Sunday and I only smashed into ONE Tree! Other than that dumped the bike twice, once over a curved bridge, then an uphill rock garden turn.

The Expert track is the most fun of any I have rode on so far. Awesome Spot!!!

SuperflyJenkins

08-16-2005, 09:26 AM

A dog... a frog... a log. A noodle, a doodle... a poodle (oops, got side-tracked - name that movie!)

Been a while since I saw a "What About Bob" Quote :D

Jess

08-16-2005, 10:10 AM

I almost always have close calls on my night rides. I once came within sharting distance of hitting a couple deer on Rock Quarry trail On Holzinger in winona. Most of the time the wildlife are drunk college kids screwing (sometimes literally) around up in the bluffs on the trails. I love coming up on them hauling ass and fully lit up. Nobody expects somebody biking when is pitch black out.

I encountered a similar situation when I lived in Ohio only it was on a closed, hike/bike "trail" which was really a two lane, paved street. As I rounded a curve, tires humming, all 32 watts of lights blazing, I had to dodge a couple as they jumped up off the ground and ran for cover. Nothing like lying in the middle of the street! :eyeroll:

I laughed the entire two miles back to my house as I pictured what they must have seen and heard. :D

Last year at the Coon Rapids Dam trails, I nearly ran into a deer. It ran in front of me and was SO close, I could have reached out and smacked it on the butt. I stopped to catch my breath and called my brother.

Jess

Don Youngdahl

08-16-2005, 01:26 PM

:)I was "chased" by an emu while riding alone on my dirt bike in very remote Missouri Breaks country in North Dakota. Because the condition of the old ranch road l I was on was uncertain at best , and I was miles from cell phone coverage, I couldn't just gas it and leave the critter behind. I was scared, looking at that big beady-eyed creature running along aside of me about 30 feet away. Eventually I lost him (her?) when the road crossed over a ravine which the bird didn't want to climb down into.

Later I found out from the rancher who had lost the emu that it most likely didn't have any aggressive intent, but was just curious.

Don Youngdahl

tberre

08-17-2005, 09:49 PM

i remeber my dads first and last mtn bike outing with me and my buddies. he was all ready to rock. his new haro bike, helmet, the whole she-bang. last run of the day he mistook his front brake as his rear. needless to say he cursed the entire walk back to the car.

edit: i almost hit him.

fcc983

09-22-2005, 06:51 PM

Two snakes, three squirrels, one bird and a couple of buck deer.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

SpecHR55

09-22-2005, 07:02 PM

A flock off pissed of geese.:D

Danimal

09-22-2005, 08:42 PM

A bunch of kids going the wrong way at Lebanon! Again!

bikingbruise

09-22-2005, 09:17 PM

I live near Lebanon and at first did not know where the mb trail was. My friend and I cruised all over the horse/walking trails. Anyway, we almost hit a turkey. Being the naturalist, I thought that chasing it would be appropriate. Well, riding flat out on a gravel road was no match for a running turkey.

I almost hit a doe. I think I was more startled.

bigwheel

09-23-2005, 07:22 AM

I got swooped by a great gray owl last night at Leb. Cool.

aliensporebomb

09-26-2005, 04:42 PM

I've had close calls with deer, owls (one sat on a tree directly above
the trail and screeched at me as I rode by at Wirth a while back) as
well as other critters.

Direct contact? I was at the river bottoms heading south from the
west-side entrance and got nailed in the face with a cicada. That
thing was huge and they have freaking heft - it nearly knocked me
off the bike, buzzing madly all the while. It felt like someone slugged
me in the head.

Damn bugs.

socrates

09-27-2005, 04:34 PM

do Jerk's riding the trail backwards count?

scubanut

10-02-2005, 10:10 PM

Rode into the middle of a small flock of turkey last week just before the xx entry.

syntaxjunkie

10-02-2005, 10:26 PM

i had a wasp run smack-dab into my face, and then get stuck between my sunglasses and my eye. the half second it took for me to whip the glasses (and the wasp with them) off my face, at speed, is the most freaked out i have ever been in my life. the wasp didn't survive, but it did give me two stings and an extreme close-up to remember the encounter...

Steeds82

10-03-2005, 01:49 AM

Santa Cruzer

10-03-2005, 08:50 AM

Last Friday evening I ran over a snake at Lebanon Hills. It was very bright green in color, smooth, and about 18 inches long. Not knowing the name of the snake I did some research on the web... the name: Smooth Green Snake - known for its brilliant, bright green color, smooth body and is 12-22 inches in length.

The thing was just sitting still in the trail as I approached it. It was so green I thought it was a small piece of neon green tubbing or something... but when my front wheel went over it, it took off like a bandit down the trail behind me. I looked back and saw it moving fast - then yelled to my buddy who was coming up the trail - he saw it too and was able to avoid it. Glad to know I didn't hurt the little bugger to bad. Oh by the way, the Smooth Green Snake is entirely insectivorous - dinning on grasshoppers, etc. Isn't the internet wonderful?

In my research, it said they are often spotted in biking and hiking trails - so keep an eye out for this little guy.

Paul Swenson

10-30-2005, 07:04 AM

my Brother and I saw two turkeys yesterday. The bird kind not the people kind.:)

gopherhockey

10-30-2005, 10:03 AM

my Brother and I saw two turkeys yesterday. The bird kind not the people kind.:)

Yes, the turkeys are out again!

We saw the usual deer during our night ride last Thursday. They get kinda spooky at night as they jump and run (hopefully not in the direction of the riders)

Speaking of which, I think hunting season is upon us at Leb again.